Boondock 2: Of Shepherds and Saints
by Beppo
Summary: Just how much can the relationship of two brothers endure when a beautiful redhead enters the picture? With the girl comes a lifetime of sadness, and a whirlwind of trouble that no one is prepared for. Her presence may prove fatal for our avenging angels.


Boondock 2: Of Shepherds and Saints  
  
"...And the Lord has called his spirit forth, so he may evermore reside amongst the angels in the kingdom of Heaven. Amen"  
  
"Amen" Echoed Connor McManus, after the preacher had finished his service. He, his father, and his twin stepped forward in unison, matching every motion to one another as if they were three separate parts to one being. They passed carefully through the small gathering of people, taking care not to disturb anyone, and side by side they approached the casket. They stood there, three black jackets shoulder-to-shoulder at ridged attention, silhouetted against the emerald green grass of the cemetery. Nothing passed between them but a thoughtful silence, their heads bowed respectfully downward as the casket was slowly lowered into the moist earth.  
  
Seeing as Rocco had no significant other save Donna, who was undoubtedly too busy getting loaded and laid with her friends to bother attending something as run-of-the-mill as her boyfriends funeral, Murphy, Connor, and their father would throw in the first handfuls of earth. Murphy glanced painfully at Connor, and then over to his father, finally resettling his glance on the casket as it descended. Together the three seemed to notice how messy and stale the haunted earth felt in their hands, as they worked out their final goodbyes to their loyal friend. When the casket had reached it's final resting place, Connor was first to throw in the dirt. He looked disgustedly at the residue left on his hand before closing it into a tight fist. He watched his knuckles go slowly white, and he stared at them as if he expected them to rain blood onto his shoes. For a moment he shot a brief glance at the crowd, and was just about to look downward again, when someone in the crowd opposite them caught his eye. He could see Murphy next to him, throwing his dirt into the lonely grave, but Connor for a moment could not detract his gaze.  
  
It was a slender redhead in about her late 20's, dressed head to toe in black, and she let a single red rose fall gracefully from her hand onto the casket below. For a moment Connor was fixated on her, unable to shift his gaze from the strange girl that stood alone in the crowd. He knew almost all of Rocco's friends, but she? He had never seen her before. He sharply elbowed Murphy, who looked up slightly puzzled. Murphy followed his twin's gaze, and immediately knew on what Connor was fixated. Murphy glanced at his father, but he had already seen. Together they watched as the redheaded woman delicately dropped to a knee, and upon easing her flowing black skirt to either side of her, bowed her head and crossed herself. Not a word did she utter, she just kneeled in prayer.  
  
All seemed silent in the world around the three, until a chalky hand was rested on the shoulders of both Murphy and Connor McManus. They turned abruptly to see Agent Smecker, smiling at them worriedly. After but another moment of looking at the young girl, father McManus turned to join his sons and the Agent. Agent Smecker shook his hand as he turned.  
  
"Are you boys all right?" He said, shifting his gaze from one to the next to see their reactions.  
  
"We've seen better days" Replied Connor, speaking for the silent others  
  
"I see. I can understand if you need to take some time to yourselves to kind of... Recoup. But I hope this doesn't mean that you are going to quit?" Agent Smecker said, studying them  
  
Connor let out a short sigh. "I'm not quite sure what this means just yet." He said, running his hand up over the back of his head  
  
"Rocco was our right hand" Murphy added  
  
"Like part of the family," added father McManus "unfortunately I never myself had the pleasure"  
  
Agent Smecker focused on The Duke. "And what of you? You are staying in the picture, aren't you?"  
  
"Aye. I'll be here." Replied The Duke, "I'll always be here."  
  
There was a short pause in their conversation. Murphy glanced around at anything until Connor's voice broke the silence.  
  
"And what of that red headed lass that was standing over there? You know everyone here from one conviction or another, who was she?"  
  
"I don't know her," replied Agent Smecker simply, "I've never seen her before."  
  
"But I have." Interjected The Duke  
  
"Dad?" Murphy inquired  
  
"She used to frequent Doc's bar back before I got locked up. Her father was a veteran of the place; always bragging about his newborn daughter up until she was old enough to bring into the bar with him. She was only four when she started coming, but after her mother died, who was going to question it? Her old man used to put her on the bar, and she'd sing a song and dance. It was so darned cute. Last I heard she stopped coming in a few years after I was put away. She was but a teenager when her father was murdered, and his killers were going to finish what they started by killing her." Father McManus explained  
  
"What happened?" Connor asked, although he was not the only one interested in hearing  
  
"She fled. No one knows where to. She was just a young thing, we all figured they had gotten her. No one was ever sure just who it was that was after her, but word through the grapevine said that some high ranking Mafiosos were vanishing up north a part. There never were any bodies found, but sure as she's standing before us I believe she had everything to do with their disappearance."  
  
The brothers turned around to sneak another look at the girl, but as mysteriously as she had come, so had she gone. They turned back around curiously toward their father.  
  
"Doc's bar" He said, as if reading their minds, "Old habits die hard, but old memories die harder. I'll bet you my last beer that she'll be there tonight."  
  
The brothers looked back at Smecker, who was once again studying them. Murphy shuffled uneasily.  
  
"Well fuck it!" He said at last, "We're going!"  
  
He patted Connor's arm before turning to leave.  
  
"I guess that's that then" Connor said with a laugh-like sigh. He turned, and gave a nod of approval to the priest as he followed his brother out of the cemetery. 


End file.
